Brighton midfielder Propper reflects on Chelsea defeat

Midfielder Davy Propper rued Albion conceding from another set-play in their 2-0 defeat at Chelsea yesterday.

After a solid first half display, the reigning Premier League champions took the lead just 52 seconds into the second period when Alvaro Morata was left unmarked to head home César Azpilicueta's cross.

Marcos Alonso was then unmarked to head home the second from a corner on the hour and Dutch international Propper said afterwards: "The first half was good and you hope to keep on going in the second half. But when they get the goal so quick, it's going to be difficult.

"If it stays 1-0, you're still in the game but after that we concede from a set-play and that's happened too often this season.

"When you come here, you know it will be a difficult game but in the first half we did great.

"Maybe when we had the ball for a little bit longer, we could have stretched them a little bit and frustrated them but that didn't happen and in the second half it was not that difficult a game for them."

Albion now face Newcastle and Bournemouth in the space of 48 hours this weekend and Propper said: "I think we are competitive with each other and they will be important games for us.

"We're still in a place where we want to be, so I think we've started good. We will keep going and hope we are still in this place at the end of the season."